US senators call for full US-Cuba embassy ties
Three American senators visiting Cuba have called for the reopening of full embassies in Havana and Washington, as the Obama administration is making efforts to normalize ties with the communist country.
"We must open an embassy, a full embassy. We had full embassies years ago," Senator Patrick Leahy said on Saturday in the Cuban capital.
Leahy was joined by Senators Ben Cardin and Dean Heller.
"Some in the Congress oppose opening it," Leahy said. "I like to say that they are very much in the minority."
US President Barack Obama announced in December that Washington will start talks with Cuba to normalize diplomatic relations, marking the most significant shift in US foreign policy towards the communist country in over 50 years.
The two countries held 18 months of secret talks that led to a joint announcement on December 17 that the two long-time adversaries would restore diplomatic relations and release prisoners on both sides.
Obama held talks with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro in April, the first meeting between the nations' leaders since 1956.
The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1961, two years after Raul’s older brother, Fidel Castro, came to power.
Washington imposed an official embargo against Havana in 1962. Although relations have improved in recent months, the US trade embargo remains in place.
The Republican-dominated Congress has so far refused Obama's request to lift the longstanding embargo.
Senator Leahy, who has frequently visited Cuba in recent years, said Obama has been chipping away at restrictions on US travel to the communist nation.
"When the president is right I support him, and the president is right in this case," said Senator Heller, a Republican.
"One of the reasons it's important to have a full mission for the United States in Cuba is it can represent American interest in Cuba," Senator Cardin added.
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